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v ESTONE. MECHANICAL MUSIGAL INSTRUMENT.

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Patented Oct. 31, 1882.

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MEUHANIOAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENT. N0. 266,914, Patented Oct. 31, 1882.

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N. PETERS. Pholaljlhogrzphen Washington. D. C.

UNITED STATES v PATENT OEEIQE.

FRANK STONE, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE MUNBOE ORGANREED COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

, MECHANICAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 266,914, dated October31, 1882 Application filed January 16, 1882. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, FRANK STONE, ofWorcester, in the county of Worcester and State of Massachusetts, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Mechanical MusicalInstruments; and ldeclare the following to be a description of my saidinvention sufficiently full, clear, and exactto enable others skilled inthe art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of thisspecification.

The objects of my present invention are, first, the adaptation andarrangement of the reedboard and sounding devices in their relation tothe wind-chamberand perforated valve-sheet or traveling music-sheet insuch manner as will give fullness and strength of tone,quickness ofaction to the several notes, and so as to permit ready access to thereeds when required also, to facilitate economy in manufacture, and toafford a compact and convenient arrangement of the several parts,whereby a neat, desirable, and efficient instrument can be afforded atcomparatively slight cost. These objects I attain by mechanism the partsof which are constructed and combined inthe peculiar manner shown in thedrawings and hereinafter described.

Figure l is a view of a mechanical musical instrument constructed inaccordance with my invention, the view being shown with the front of thecase removed and the upper-right-hand corner in section to reveal thevarious parts of internal construction. Fig. 2 is a vertical section atthe position of line to w, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a plan view of theinstrument with the top covering removed to reveal parts beneath. Fig. 4is a vertical sectional view, showing the journal-bearing ofthe'feed-rolls. Fig. 5 is a plan view of the blowing apparatus, and Fig.6 is a rear view of the same.

In reference to the drawings, A denotes the bed-piece or table to whichthe action is attached. It is madeto rest upon the upright sides A,which together form the rectangular case within which the bellows B islocated, the case being only of such size as will conveniently containthe bellows mechanism.

0 denotes the sound-board, arranged above the bed-piece A, paralleltherewith, and at such distance therefrom as will give the properwindchamber 0, the two parts being secured together by suitable barsorflanges, which tightly close the sides of the chamber 0, asillustrated.

D denotes the tube-board, which I arrange in relation to theair-exhausting devices and travelin g perforated music-sheet E in thepeculiar manner shownthat is, with its reed-cells and reeds d inhorizontal position, parallel with the top of the instrument, the underside of said tube-board resting flat down upon the top of thesounding-board, to which it is solidly secured, occupying a positionbetween the exhaust-air chamber 0 and the music-sheet E, which travelsacross the top surfaceof the tubeboard in contact therewith, and actsdirectly as a valve for the air-ducts or inlet-openings c, which areformed through the roof of the cells in the manner indicated, the seriesextending in a straight line from end to end of the set, and the size ofthe openings being graduated as required to admit proper quantity ofair. The mouths of the cells at which the reeds d are inserted arearranged toward the front, and are closed by a removable baror gatepiece, D, so that convenient access to the reeds is attained withoutinterfering with the air-openings c.

The arrangement of the parts in relation to the music-sheet and blowingdevices makes a compact sounding action, gives superior speaking-powerto the reeds, permits gradation of the openings 0 to proportion theair-currents to the requirements of the respective reeds, and allows ofthe reeds being conveniently taken out or adjusted by simply raising thebar D and using the reed-hook in the usual manner.

The construction of the tube-board and airinlets e in the roof of thecells, and their location between the valve-sheet and exhaustingapparatus, as shown, are features of my invention.

F indicates the feed-roll, and G the presserroll, by which theperforated music-sheet E is drawn forward through the instrument. Theshaft F of said feed-roll is provided with a hand-crank, F and also Withsuitable cranks for operating the blowing devices.

II indicates a removable top piece or cover,

arranged over the action mechanism, and re-- tained upon the bed-piece Aby spring-catches h, located at the sides. Suitable spaces are leftbetween the cap H and lower portions of the case at front and rear forthe free passage of the music-sheet.

The journal-bearings of ,the presser-roll G are supported in thecap-piece H, said bearings being arranged to give a yielding pressure bythe action of springs g, located inrecesses above the bearings, asillustrated in Fig. 4.

I indicates a wire rod or bar provided with spring portions I at itsends, which are fixed to the sides of the casing or cap-piece H. Saidbar I is arranged across the top of the tubeboard or music-race, whereit presses upon the top of the perforated sheet E andserves as areservoir by the action of the springs m.

frictional brake for keeping it drawn taut, and also for holding itclosely down upon the airinlet openings 0.

The entire cap-piece H, with the presser-roll G and bar I, can beremoved, when desired, by releasing the catches h, and when thus removedthe full top of the action is exposed, so that the music-sheet can belaid over the tubeboard and feed-roll I The cap H. then being replaced,the instrument is ready for operation.

At the central part of the cap is a hinged lid or movable section, H,provided with a suitable thumb-piece, t, by which it can be convenientlyraised and depressed to serve as a swell or expression valve whenplaying the instrument.

The pressure-bar I, formed as shown, and the arrangement thereof inrelation to the tube-board and case, are features of my invention.

The blowing or wind apparatus I arrange in the peculiar form and mannerillustrated in Figs. 1, 2, 5, and 6. The main reservoir B is attached tothe under side of the bed or table A by a hollow hanger or standard, L,which serves both as a support for the bellows and as an air-conductor,a passage, L, being carried through it from the wind-chest G to theinterior of the bellows-reservoir B. The top board, Z, of the reservoiris rigidly fixed to the support L, while the bottom board is hinged tothe former along its front edge, so as to permit downward expansion ofthe Exhausters B Bare arranged upon the top of the reservoir B at theright and left of the standard of conductor L, said exhausters Boccupying the whole space, or nearly so, on the top board, I, whilecorresponding exhausters, B B are arranged on the under side of thereservoir B in the manner illustrated. The hinging of the exhausters Band B is located at the opposite side from the hinging of reservoir B,so that the bellows, when expanded, are of a comparatively square formand utilize the entire space within the case A, as shown. The exhaustersB and B are fitted with the usual air-valves, n, and the upper and lowerexhausters are coupled together for uniform action by pitman-bars I,pivoted to their outer corners, while other pitmanbars, It, connect saidexhausters with the cranks of the operating-shaft F, by means of whichthe bellows mechanism is actuated. Said rods R pass up through suitableslots, 8, in the bed-piece A, as illustrated. The form and arrangementof the bellows are features of my invention. 7

It will be observed that the construction herein illustrated is verysimple, convenient, and compact, while an instrument is produced havinggreat strength and power of tone, and which can be furnished at acomparatively small price.

I am aware that tube-boards having horizontally-arranged reeds haveheretofore been employed; but so far as I am aware such tubeboards havebeen differently constructed from that herein described, and have beenarranged above the paper or music sheet, or else have been operated byintermediatcly arranged valves, or have been elevated from thesounding-board and operated by force-bellows-circumstances which requiredifferent conditions to promote satisfactory results, and requiringgreater complication of mechanism than does my present arrangement-and Ido not herein make claim to such constructions; neither do I desire toherein claim broadly a bellows apparatus having double sets ofexhausters, except in the construction and arrangement shown anddescribed.

What I claim as of my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is

1. In a mechanical musical instrument, the combination, as shown anddescribed, of the sounding board 0, having chamber 0 beneath it, thetube-board D, permanently fixed upon the top of said sound-board andprovided with the horizontally-arranged reeds d, and air-passages 0,formed through the roof of the reed-cells, with the gate-piece D,closing the mouths of said cells, the music-sheet E, working across andin contact with the top of said tube-board and acting directly as avalve to the passages e, and. the bellows apparatus consisting of thehorizontal reservoir B, with exhausters B B and B B, located, as shown,with the hollow vertical standard L, connecting the central part of saidreservoir with the wind-chamber-G for exhausting air therefrom, saidparts beinglocated, constructed, and operated as hereinbefore set forth.

2. The combination, with the tube-board D and removable cap-piece H, ofthe presser I, consisting of a wire having its ends bent to form springportions I, which are secured to said cap-piece, and with its centralportion extending transversely across the top surface of the tube-boardfor pressing upon the musicsheet at the position and in the manner asshown and described.

3. In combination, as shown and described,

the action bed or table A, with the sounding loo IIO

board O,tube-b0ard D,bell0ws apparatus, and catches, h, said parts beingformed and arfeed devices, all constructed and arranged in ranged asherein set forth. 10 the manner illustrated, and adapted to fit theWitness my hand this 3d day of January, case A, as described, and .thecap-piece H, A. D. 1882.

5 having the inclined top with central hinged FRANK STONE. portion, H,provided with thumb-piece i, fi-t- Witnesses: v

ted to cover the sounding devices, and remov- OHAs. H. BURLEIGH, ablyconnected to said table by the side. JOH Howns.

